Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind, Gabriel Babysits and Castiel Wants a Pet
by Random Ruth
Summary: E/O Challenge: "silo". Jesus isn't the only healer near Siloam that day. A story made up of six 100-word drabbles.


**Author's Note:** This one required _a lot_ of thought (it's not called a challenge for nothing, I guess). I'd never heard the word "silo" out of the agricultural context before—it's a really difficult word! So I hit the internet and did some research and stumbled upon the Pool of Siloam, where in the Bible, Jesus heals an (unnamed) blind man (John 9:1-12). I named him Abner for the sake of the story—it means 'the Father is a light'. Then I wondered what could have been happening in the background of what we're told, and thus this 'missing scene from the Bible' was born...

This is also a very important story because it is story number 100! I never thought I'd reach the dizzy heights of having written that much, but there you go. Here's to 100 more, I say! :)

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**Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind, Gabriel Babysits and Castiel Wants a Pet**

* * *

Abner, a man who had been born blind, sat and begged at the side of the road as he did every day. And while his eyes were useless, his ears were not. He heard every insult sent his way as people passed him by, every gasp of horror.

This day he heard what sounded like a young boy say, "Look, I healed that tree. Can you see how green it is now?"

"Yes, little brother," an older voice replied with a hint of impatience, "I can see the tree—now come along, there is much for you to learn today."

* * *

He heard two sets of footsteps start to come closer before they stopped. "Oh, look—that man is blind," the younger voice said. Abner tensed, as always, expecting the inevitable insult. "I should heal him."

"_No!_" the older voice suddenly cried out with such volume that it made Abner flinch where he sat. "Not him."

"Why?" the younger voice asked, sounding annoyed.

"Father has other plans for him, Castiel," the older voice said with authority. "We are not to interfere."

The pair walked past him, and Abner could hear the young voice—Castiel—ask if he could heal something else.

* * *

Abner spent hours trying to decipher the conversation that he'd overheard.

Then a man came along the road, followed by many others. The crowd only murmured as this man spoke. He spat at Abner's feet and rubbed the mud onto his eyelids.

"Go," the man told him, and Abner just _knew_ somehow that his name was Jesus, "wash in the Pool of Siloam."

Abner didn't hesitate. He stumbled to his feet, thanking Jesus, and made his way to Siloam as quickly as he could. He knew the way by heart. In his haste he bumped into people but didn't stop.

* * *

He had almost reached Siloam when he heard Castiel and his big brother talking again. He only half listened—_he_ was the one hurrying by for once in his life.

"Mr Gabriel, the lizard is following me now, too," Castiel said.

"Most likely because you've just healed it of its spider bite," Gabriel stated, "and it thinks you're its mother now."

"But will that not make the vulture cross?"

_Squawk!_

"Which vulture? The one you healed of starvation or the one you resurrected?"

Abner didn't hear the reply. He purposefully continued on his way, heart racing with exertion and hope.

* * *

He fell to his knees at the edge of the Pool of Siloam and washed his face in the fresh water. When he opened his eyes, the light was almost overbearing—but then colours, beautiful colours and shapes... He could see them all. He stared into his reflection for the first time, took in the blue of the sky and the green leaves.

He shouted glorious praise to the LORD for answering his prayers.

On his way home to spread the news Abner saw the two brothers, Gabriel and Castiel. Gabriel was standing next to Castiel with his arms folded.

* * *

Castiel had a little bird sitting on his shoulder. Three vultures, two big and one small, circled overhead. A puppy sat at his feet. He had a snake wrapped around his arm and an even bigger one around his leg. A lizard was clinging to the fabric of his clothing.

"_Please_ can I keep them?" Castiel looked up at his big brother with pleading eyes.

"No, Castiel—it is for the best if they remain here."

Abner heard wings flap and Gabriel was gone.

He watched Castiel sadly shoo the animals away—all except the lizard—before he too disappeared.

* * *

**THE END**

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**A/N:** Sneaky, Castiel, sneaky! I like to think he still has that little lizard and it lives in his pocket. It has a birthday every year and wears a little party hat. Thanks for reading! :)


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